| June 1 |
1921 -- celebrated musician, composer, conductor and arranger Nelson Riddle is born this date in Oradell, New Jersey. His work is synomymous with Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Nat King Cole and others, but he was also prolific for his themes and scoring of television shows. Best known for the theme of 'Route 66,' he also wrote themes for such shows as 'Caribe,' 'City of Angels,' 'Project U.F.O.,' 'Emergency,' 'The Rogues' and others. Interestingly, he also supplied a theme song two years after his death when, in 1987, Fox Network's 'Married With Children' used the Riddle-arranged, Singatra-sun 'Love and Marriage.' Nelson Riddle died October 6, 1985, of complications from hepatitis. He was 64 years old. 1926 -- Andy Samuel Griffith is born in Mt. Airy, North Carolina. Famous for his folksy wit, Andy wasn't afraid to show his darker side in the scathing media indictment 'A Face in the Crowd' or in the made-for-tv films 'Pray for the Wildcats' and 'Savages.' But it was as Sheriff Andy Taylor on the eponymous 'The Andy Griffith Show' that he made his lasting mark on the television landscape. In an era in which sitcoms are based on a constant barrage of jokes, the humor of TAGS arose from its rich characters, which is why it can still be watched many times over and still remain fresh. And while the latter 'Matlock' also was quite popular, TAGS has its own rerun watcher chapters (tagsrwc.com) and annual tribute, many with cast members, in Andy's hometown, sponsored by the Surry Arts Council (mayberrydays.org). Thanks, Andy, for a lifetime of laughter! 1930 -- Cleo Pat Corley is born in Dallas, Texas. Although he didn't break into television until 1974, the beefy Corley is best-known as Phil the bartender on 'Murphy Brown.' However, he memorably played Chief Coroner Wally Nydorf, a once-top professional desperately trying to cover his growing incompetence, over the course of several seasons on 'Hill Street Blues.' (Imdb.com quotes one of his sons as saying the Nydorf role was his father's favorite.) Pat died of congestive heart failure on September 11, 2006, at age 76. 1939 -- Cleavon Jake Little is born in Chikasha, Oklahoma. Although classically trained for the stage, Cleavon's film and television peaked with his starring role in the 1974 film 'Blazing Saddles.' In television he had three short-lived series: 'Temperature's Rising,' with James Whitmore, 'True Colors' and 'Baghdad Cafe'.' However, fans of 'The Waltons' will remember him fondly for his role in the Christmasy pilot 'The Homecoming,' in which he portrayed Hawthorne Dooley, the persuasive minister who convinces the Baldwin Sisters to help John-Boy try to find John. Plagued by stomach problems much of his life, Cleavon died of colon cancer October 22, 1992, at just 53 years of age. 1939 -- the first televised heavyweight boxing match, featuring Max Baer (yes, father of future 'Beverly Hillbilly Max Baer, Jr.) against Lou Nova. 1953 -- ABC's 'Twilight Theater' airs 'The Mask of Medusa.' It marked Raymond Burr's network acting debut. 1966 -- the final episode of 'The Dick Van Dyke Show' airs on CBS, completing a highly successful and much-awarded five-year-run. Interestingly, the show was cancelled due to low ratings after its first season, but producers Danny Thomas, Sheldon Leonard and Carl Reiner staked their reputation on the series prospects and CBS execs reconsidered. 1971 -- CBS Sunday night staple 'The Ed Sullivan Show' airs for the final time after 22 consecutive years. Opera singer Roberta Peters was the most frequent guest, appearing a total of 67 times. What's often overlooked is the impact Ed had in integrating television, introducing many African-American performers to the national stage. Ed died three years later, a month after his 74th birthday. 1980 -- in what eventually changed the face of news coverage world-wide, CNN (Cable News Network) began broadcasting news 24 hours a day. 1985 -- British actor Richard Greene, who gained his greatest fame on both sides of the pond in the 1950s in 'The Adventures of Robin Hood,' dies of cardiac arrest at the age of 67. 1994 -- actress Frances Heflin, who played Mona Kane Tyler, Erica's long-suffering mother on 'All My Children,' dies of lung cancer at the age of 74. Frances originated the role when the series signed on and continued her portrayal until her death. |